Do you want stronger glutes? These yoga poses can help.

As a yoga teacher, I’ve said it more times than I can count: “Engage your glutes.” And almost every time, students have follow-up questions along the lines of, “What does that even mean?” “Am I balancing? Squeezing? Stopping?” These questions are completely fair.

This shows how much the glutes are being overlooked. So often, yoga teachers instruct students to stand up straight, pull their shoulders down, and breathe, but the glutes are left out of the equation. And that is a missed opportunity.

Because strong glutes aren’t about aesthetics. They are about how your body moves and feels.

Why strong glutes are important

Your glutes are a team, not a single muscle. When we say “glutes” we’re actually talking about a group working together:

• The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle that supports hip extension, which moves your legs beneath or behind you (standing up, climbing, bending back) and helps control external rotation of the thighs.
• The gluteus medius on the outside of the hip is an important pelvic stabilizer, especially during single-leg work (walking, balancing, stepping).
• The gluteus maximus is another stabilizing muscle that helps with hip stability and refines your posture and alignment in poses.

If the glutes are not strong, the rest of the body quickly overcompensates. You may notice a gripping or pinching sensation in your lower back, especially when you practice lunges, backbends, and standing poses. Or your knees can collapse inward in chair pose or warrior pose. Maybe it’s a pinching or unsteady feeling in a single-leg balance position or postural fatigue where your pelvis tilts forward and your ribs push forward.

When your glutes are doing their job, your entire body tends to move more smoothly: your knees track cleaner, your hips feel more stable, and your lower back doesn’t have to work overtime. The result is a posture that feels more supported, especially if you spend much of the day sitting. When the glutes Are online, your body falls into a supported alignment:

• Your pelvis stabilizes for better balance and smoother movements.
• Your lower back shares the load instead of overloading.
• Bend your knees without turning inward.
• Your hips feel supported and not compressed during backbends and other movements.

6 yoga poses for strong glutes

The poses below will help strengthen your glutes while keeping your hips and lower back spacious and supported.

In yoga, “squeezing your glutes” is rarely a full-on clench. Think firmly and supportively, as if you are contracting the muscles enough to stabilize and steer, without clenching the pelvis forward or compressing the lower back. When you squeeze the glutes, the core is often engaged. So it’s less about forcing your body to tense, and more about creating smart support.

If you have trouble feeling the target muscles, add 8-12 slow pulses in the poses below and then hold the form for a few breaths. The pulses wake up the muscle tissue; the hold teaches control and endurance.

1. Variation in chair position

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees and lean your hips back, as if you were reaching for a chair with your hips. Keep your weight in your heels, your chest up and your spine long in the chair position. Let your knees run over your middle toes. Stay here for 3-5 breaths.

Chair pose variations:

• Chair Pulses: Bend your knees deeper and then lift a few inches. Repeat 8-12 times at a slow and steady pace.
• Chair + heel raise: Lift both heels off the mat for 2 breaths and then lower them. Repeat 3-5 times.
• Block Squeeze: Place a block between your thighs and squeeze lightly for 3-5 breaths.
• Standard seat: Step one foot back a few inches, keeping your heel up and resting most of your weight in your front leg. Pause for 3-5 breaths and repeat on the other side.

2. God withholding

Spread your feet wide, turn your toes slightly outward and bend your knees so that they run over your toes. Reach the crown of your head toward the ceiling and press your feet into the mat. Stay here for 3-5 breaths.

3. Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana II)

Spread your feet wide. Turn your right toes toward the front of the mat and turn your left toes slightly inward. Bend your right knee and follow it over your middle toes. Extend your arms straight out to the sides in a T-shape and look over your right hand in Warrior 2. Stay here for 3-5 breaths. Repeat on the other side.

4. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart. Press your feet into the mat and lift your hips into Bridge Pose. Imagine reaching your tailbone toward your knees. Stay here for 3-5 breaths and then slowly lower your hips to the mat.

5. Half Moon (Ardha Chandrasana)

From High Lunge, with your right leg forward, bring your right hand to a block a few inches in front of your right foot. Shift your weight to your right leg and lift your back leg off the mat. Turn your chest and hips toward the left side of the room and move your right leg to a straight (with a microbend) into Half Moon Pose. Stay here for 3-5 breaths.

6. Locust Pose (Salabhasana)

Lie on your stomach with your arms at your sides or intertwined behind you. Inhale and lift your chest and legs slightly, keeping the back of your neck long. Gently engage your glutes and lengthen through your toes in Locust Pose. Lower slowly. Stay here for 3-5 breaths.

“Engage your glutes” isn’t just a signal, it’s a strategy. By practicing strengthening yoga poses over time, you’ll feel the difference between gripping and sustaining efforts. With consistent effort, that silent glute support changes the feel of your entire workout – on the mat and during everyday movements.